Sidewinder with Rotating Turrets for Short Bed Pickups

What is a Sidewinder?

When towing with a standard king pin, fifth wheel trailers turn or pivot where the king pin is connected to the hitch. With a sidewinder, the truck and trailer are prevented from pivoting at the hitch. Instead the pivot point is located closer to the tailgate, creating much more space in between the truck cab and trailer on sharp turns. This extra space also becomes available for more cargo such as toolboxes which couldn't fit before. And the new pivot point makes the trailer track better behind the truck for even easier towing.

Sidewinders let you tow a fifth wheel trailer with a short bed pickup (even under 6 feet!) without a sliding hitch. You can use the clearance formula at the bottom of this page to see if a Sidewinder will work for you.

Note: It is not recommended to use a Sidewinder with a slider hitch.

How the Sidewinder Works

Sidewinder Pivot Point - 22" behind the king pin
Rotating Turret - king pin specific, it attaches to the pin box on the trailer
Universal King Pin Wedge (not pictured) - prevents pivot at fifth wheel hitch
Fifth Wheel King Pin - attaches to the hitch in the truck bed for towing
Sidewinder Arm - is universal and available in 16K, 16K with Air-Ride, and 19K

What We Need to Know When Choosing a Sidewinder

Trailer King Pin type - The Sidewinder couplers are custom designed to replace the standard king pins on trailers, so we'll need to find out the part number of the pin box (king pin) on the trailer.
- The pin box number is usually displayed somewhere on the pin box, either on a sticker or stamped into the king pin itself. If it's not there or worn out, the customer will have to call the trailer manufacturer with their VIN or serial number to have them provide the coupler type.
- Because the turrets are custom designed, they simply bolt in place of the existing king pin - no drilling required
  Existing hardware can be used when installing, but new grade 8 bolts are recommended
Fifth Wheel Hitch Type - A universal wedge that will work on nearly all fifth-wheel hitches is included with the Sidewinder. However, custom-fit wedges are available for most brands of fifth-wheel hitches and are recommended because they provide a better fit.
- Sidewinders should not be used with PullRite SuperGlide, Reese Trail Boss, B&W 5th-wheel trailer hitches that connect to a gooseneck ball, Colibert 208BW, and gooseneck to 5th-wheel adapters, including Draw-Tite and Bulldog Hi-Rise. Cushioned hitches may interfere with the proper operation of a sidewinder, and adapters that connect to a gooseneck ball can rotate around the ball, resulting in dangerous loss of control.

Kingpin by Model #

Fabex 500, 503, 520, 530, 560, or 765

Lippert 1116, 1716, or 0115

RBW 7019 or 7028

Fabex 663 or 665

Lippert 0719, 1621, or 1621HD

M&M 663 or 665

Leland 7910, 7920, or 7921

Dexter 221-0037

Fabex 663 or 665

Lippert 0719, 1621, 1621HD

M&M 663 or 665

Lippert 1716 or 0115 (spacer kit required - sold separately)

Lippert 1716 or 0115

Clearance Formula for Sidewinder:

Use the formula below to ensure there will be enough space between your truck cab and trailer when executing a 90-degree turn.

(A + B) - C = Clearance

A = Distance from center of fifth wheel hitch jaw to truck cab

B = Length of Sidewinder arm (16K = 22", 19K = 22")

C = Width of trailer divided by 2 (to get half)

For example: With the 16K arm, if the distance from the center of the hitch to the cab is 36", 36" + 22" = 58". If your fifth wheel trailer is 102" wide, take half (51"), then plug in: 58" - 51" = 7" of clearance.

NOTE: At least 4 inches of clearance is recommended to safely execute a 90 degree turn.

4 Steps to Choosing your Fifth Wheel Pin Box

Fifth Wheel Information and Installation Tips

Guide to Choosing the Best Truck for Fifth Wheel Towing

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Updated by: Jacob J

Last updated: 8/3/22

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